Wilcox County Death Records
Wilcox County death records are available through the health department in Camden. This rural south Alabama county has about 10,400 people. It sits in the Black Belt region along the Alabama River. The health department connects to the statewide ViSION database, so you can request death certificates for deaths that took place anywhere in Alabama. Records go back to 1908 in the state system. Those more than 25 years old are open to the public in Wilcox County.
Wilcox County Quick Facts
Wilcox County Health Department
The Wilcox County Health Department handles death certificate requests for this area. The office sits on Union Street in Camden, the county seat. When you come in person, staff can search the ViSION system and print certified copies while you wait. Most requests take about 15 to 30 minutes. This is usually the fastest way to get Wilcox County death records.
Camden is a small town in a rural part of Alabama. The health department office is easy to find. Staff are helpful and used to working with people who need death records for legal or family matters in Wilcox County.
| Address | 107 Union Street Camden, AL 36726 |
|---|---|
| Phone | (334) 682-4515 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM |
| Website | alabamapublichealth.gov/wilcox |
Ways to Request Death Certificates
You have a few options for getting a death certificate from Wilcox County. Pick the method that works best for your needs.
In Person Request
Walking in is the fastest way. Go to the Wilcox County Health Department in Camden. Bring a valid photo ID. Know the name of the person who died. Have the death date if you can. Tell the clerk where the death took place. Staff will search the state database and print your certificate while you wait. You can pay with cash, check, or money order in Wilcox County.
Mail to Montgomery
Send a written request to the Center for Health Statistics. The address is P.O. Box 5625, Montgomery, AL 36103-5625. Write out the full name of the person who died. Add the date and place of death. Say how you are related to them. Include a copy of your photo ID. Send a check or money order made to Center for Health Statistics. Processing takes 7 to 10 business days after receipt in Alabama.
Order Through VitalChek
VitalChek handles online orders for Alabama death certificates. Go to vitalchek.com or call 1-888-279-9888. You can pay by credit or debit card. VitalChek adds extra fees on top of the state price. Standard delivery takes about one week.
Who Can Get Death Records
Access to death certificates depends on when the person died. Under Alabama Code Section 22-9A-21, death records stay private for 25 years from the death date. After that time, anyone can request a copy for any reason in Alabama.
During the 25-year restricted period, only these people can get certified copies of Wilcox County death records:
- Spouse of the person who died
- Parents of the person who died
- Adult children of the person who died
- Brothers and sisters of the person who died
- Grandchildren of the person who died
- Legal reps for the estate
- The informant listed on the death certificate
- Government agencies for official purposes
Others may qualify if they can show a personal or property interest. Bring documents to prove your need. Companies cannot get bulk records or mailing lists under Alabama law.
Fee Schedule
Death certificate fees are set statewide by the Board of Health. Wilcox County charges the same rates as every other county in Alabama.
| Service | Fee |
|---|---|
| Search with one certified copy | $15.00 |
| Additional copies (same order) | $6.00 each |
| Expedited processing | $15.00 extra |
| Amendment or correction | $20.00 |
If no record is found, you still pay the fee. You get a Certificate of Failure to Find instead. Fees are not refundable. VitalChek adds service charges on top of state rates.
Historical Death Records
Statewide death registration in Alabama began on January 1, 1908. Full compliance took time. By 1925, about 90 percent of deaths were being recorded in Alabama. All records from 1908 to the present are in the state system. Records older than 25 years are public.
Deaths before 1908 require other research methods. Some county health officers kept local death registers starting around 1881, but not all did. The Alabama Department of Archives and History has microfilm of early county registers that exist. Coverage varies across Alabama.
For pre-1908 death information in Wilcox County, you can try these sources:
- Probate court records with wills and estates
- Church burial records from Camden and other towns
- Cemetery records and tombstone inscriptions
- Old newspaper obituaries from Wilcox County papers
- Federal mortality schedules from 1850, 1860, 1870, and 1880
FamilySearch offers Alabama Deaths, 1908-1974 for free online. This collection has over 1.8 million names with scanned images of original death certificates.
Death Investigation
When someone in Wilcox County dies from violence, an accident, suicide, or suddenly without clear cause, the coroner steps in. The Wilcox County Coroner looks into these deaths. They find what caused the death and the manner of death. Alabama uses an elected coroner system in most counties.
The coroner can request an autopsy from the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences if needed. Cases from Wilcox County typically go to the Montgomery lab. Autopsy results become part of the death record but are separate from the standard certificate in Alabama.
State law says certain deaths must be reported to the coroner right away. This includes deaths from injury, deaths in custody, deaths during surgery, and sudden deaths with no known medical cause. Funeral homes cannot move forward with burial or cremation until the coroner releases the body in Wilcox County.
Alabama Death Record Law
Death records in Alabama fall under the Alabama Vital Statistics Act. You can find this in Title 22, Chapter 9A of the Alabama Code. The key sections that affect how you get death records are listed below:
- Section 22-9A-14: Deaths must be filed within five days
- Section 22-9A-21: Creates 25-year confidentiality and lists who can access restricted records
- Section 22-9A-22: Allows county health offices to issue certified copies
- Section 22-9A-23: Sets the fee schedule
These rules apply statewide. The full text is on the Alabama Legislature website.
Cities in Wilcox County
Wilcox County has no cities above the 50,000 population mark. Camden is the county seat with about 2,000 people. Other towns include Pine Apple, Pine Hill, Annemanie, and Yellow Bluff. The county sits along the Alabama River in the rural Black Belt region. Death records for all areas of Wilcox County go through the health department in Camden.
The nearest larger cities are Selma in Dallas County and Montgomery in Montgomery County. For records from Montgomery, see our Montgomery city page.
Nearby Counties
Wilcox County sits in south Alabama. If researching family history in this area, you may need to check records in counties nearby. Here are the counties that border Wilcox County:
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